BD Wong Apologizes for Racist Social Media Comment: “Very Sorry for the Hurt I’ve Caused”

BD Wong has apologized after posting a comment on social media that was widely criticized as racist. The actor, known for roles on “Law & Order: SVU” and “Jurassic World,” responded to a post by Mike Holston, also known as @TheRealTarzan on Instagram, who has 16 million followers.

Holston shared a photo of an animal with the caption, “Name this animal…wrong answers only.” Wong allegedly replied in a now-deleted comment, “It appears to be a Black man.”

After the comment spread online, Wong took to Threads to apologize. He wrote, “Y’all I made a very bad joke. As most people in hot water do, I deleted it for Damage Control but it’s out there & continues to hurt & disappoint & I’m really sorry about the hurt part. Super dumb, but I tried to follow the ‘Wrong Answers Only’ prompt with the wrongest answer. This succeeded only in that it was Super Wrong. I know nobody gets a free pass. I’m sorry if this #wtfbd moment tarnished any respect you may’ve had for me. & thanks if you advocate for an internet that’s safe for everybody.”

Later, Wong posted another message to clarify his stance and take full responsibility. He said, “I want to elaborate on a racist comment I posted, to clarify that I recognize & accept the responsibility for how terrible it is. It’s also wrong to try to ‘explain’ anything, & I think that causes a further breaking down in folks’ trust.”

He added, “Let me please spend the energy on how wrong I know it is to exploit a despicable, racist trope in the supposed spirit of humor; I do know better, but again no excuses. Very sorry for the hurt I’ve caused & for taking lightly something so deeply injurious.”

BD Wong is best known for playing Dr. George Huang on “Law & Order: SVU,” a role he started in the show’s second season and returned to during its 27th season. He also played Whiterose in “Mr. Robot,” earning an Emmy nomination for guest actor in a drama series, and Hugo Strange in “Gotham.”

Wong originated the role of Dr. Henry Wu in the 1993 film “Jurassic Park” and reprised the character in the “Jurassic World” trilogy from 2015 to 2022.

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